[UK] Sex-swap squaddie’s battle for boobsThis is sex-swap ex-squaddie Sarah-Jane Smith, who served as Pte W E Smith wearing lingerie under his uniform.Sarah-Jane, now 50 and living in Hanover, Germany, is suing DAK health insurers who refused to pay £6,000 for breast implants. She said: "I need to have t*ts."

[UK] Drag Queen Floors Thugs in SwanseaThese amazing pictures show a pair of drag queens flooring a couple of thugs during a night out in Swansea city centre.In the video, which is becoming an internet phenomenon, the drag queens, who are believed to be cage fighters, end up giving their attackerssomething to think about.

[Belgium/Australia] [News/People/Entertainment] A question of identityAndrew Shaw talks to a woman with an extraordinary life story to share.Vanessa Van Durme was – is – Belgium’s first transsexual. In 1975, at a time when most people were consolidating the sexual ‘freedoms’ of the sixties, Van Durme travelled to Casablanca, where she had a sex change operation.[Turkey] Access Denied to LGBT Social Networking SitesAccess has been blocked to LGBT social networking sites galibe, haydigayri and shemaleturk under accusations such as prostitution, obscenity or child abuse according to law article 5651. The site administrators were no informed about the decision and spoke of a "homophobic mentality".[South Africa]Public should rally for Semenya - ANCThe African National Congress has established a task team to support athlete Caster Semenya and her family, the party announced in Johannesburg on Monday.Winnie, Manto to help SemenyaLe mystère Caster Semenya

[Belarus] Gay rights conference staged in BelarusMore than 100 people from nine Belarusian cities and 10 other countries gathered at the Crowne Plaza in Minsk, Belarus, on Sept. 26 for an LGBT rights conference, GayRussia.ru reported. (Photo)[Pakistan] Pakistan Recognizes Transgenders"In their greed to gain our votes the politicians are now willing to listen to our demands," said Sapna, 24, a transgender, dressed in a fitted printed woman's shalwar kameez (Pakistani dress) with a scarf slung around her neck. Her freshly shaved and slightly made-up face barely hid the telltale stubble.

[India] Eunuchs be recognised as handicapped: RVPThe Rashtriya Vikalang Party (RVP) has demanded keeping eunuchs in the category of handicapped people.[India] Urban poor stand up for transgendersIt's not the usual `roti-kapada-makaan' demand. This time, the urban poor of Bangalore want something different. They have taken up the cause of transgenders who are HIV positive.[Malaysia] Transvestite: A straight life from now for meA transvestite has resolved to start life anew away from prostitution after a painful fall left him bedridden for a few months.The 30-year-old, who called himself Farisha, was with a group of transvestites at the Jalan Petani flats here early Saturday morning when a parang-wielding man ran amok.

[Australia] Anti-harassment project launchedA new project which aims to reduce the incidence of homophobic harassment in Victoria has been launched by an amalgamation of community groups.The ALSO Foundation, with partners TransGender Victoria (TGV), Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (VGLRL) and Anti Violence Project (AVP), announced the commencement of the first stage of the initiative last week.

[USA] [Blog/News] Obama to Address Gay Rights OrganizationPresident Obama will speak to a gathering of gay rights activists this weekend, a day before thousands of people are expected to march on Washington in a demonstration calling for greater legal protections for gays, lesbians and transgendered Americans.[GA, USA] [People/Commentary] Monica Helms, transsexual Navy veteranEditor’s note: First Person is a series of commentaries that give voice to those not commonly heard in Atlanta media.After growing up a “typical boy,” marrying “the one” and fathering two children, Monica Helms finally acted on a lifelong desire to become a woman.(Photo: Joeff Davis - BECOMING HERSELF: Monica Helms spent four decades as a man before switching sexes — and finding true confidence.)

[KS, USA] Salina group asks to host transgender speakerTwo weeks ago, a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students at the K-State Salina Campus requested the Salina Campus Student Governing Association bring a transgender speaker in to address the student body. The motion was tabled for a week, then tabled again. It is scheduled to be discussed again on Tuesday.If approved, the group of LGBT students willhave permission to bring in Ryan Sallens, a female to male transgender who currently lives in Nebraska, to present in November during National Coming Out Week.[Commentary] Societal exposure importantTransgender speaker denied funding at Salina campus[GA,USA]Cross Dressing Teen Drops Out of Cobb County SchoolA Kennesaw high school student has dropped out of school because of the dress code. He was not wearing pants so big and baggy that he needed to hold them up to keep them from falling to the ground, and he was not wearing a “wife beater” tank top. What was Jonathan Escobar wearing that violated the school’s dress code according to school officials?...Girls Clothes.